Toy cars with raised transparent dome



M. zloN 2,765,584

Toy CARS WITH RAISED TRANSPARENT DOME Sheets-Sheet l Filed oct. 2e, 1955:NVENTOR //asf's Z/a/v 'BY mai QATTORNEY M. ZlON TOY CARS WITH RAISEDTRANSPARENT DOME 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 26, 1953 gli! INVENTORMas/5s Z/a/v ff Sg.

ATTGRNEY TOY CARS WITH RAISED TRANSPARENT DOME Moses Zion, Brooklyn, N.Y., assignor to The Lionel Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporationof New York Application October 26, 195B, Serial No. 388,325

6 Claims. (ol. t6-21s) The present invention relates to toy cars withraised transparent domes.

In the railway art certain railway cars have been provided with an upperdeck of seats above the usual level of seats in the car and this portionof the ca-r has been covered by a dome to accommodate the passengers inthese seats. The dome has windows which permit these passengers toobserve the surroundings.

The present invention contemplates toy cars which, in general appearancesimulate such cars. In the toy cars interior illumination is providedfor the elevated windows and the upper deck may or may not be employed.

In carrying the present invention into practice the preferredconstruction utilizes an extruded metal car body having the roof of thecar cut away for a portion of the length of the car to provide an openspa-ce and this open space receives a transparent insert provided withwindows to simulate the windows of full sized construction. To set ofIthe windows and improve the appearance of the device the non-windowportions of the transparent inserts are rendered opaque.

The present invention also contemplates associating with the elevateddome of the toy car a deck-like construction below the dome whichcarries seat-simulating portions so that when the interior of the car isobserved through the transparent dome, the seats appear. Where the seatsimulating member is to be employed it is preferably made of separateplastic molding and cemented to the roof insert. It may be coated torender it opaque or not, as desired.

Other and further objects of the invention will appear as thedescription proceeds.

The accompanying drawings show, for purposes of illustrating the presentinvention one embodiment in which it may take form, together withmodifications of certain parts, it being understood that the drawingsare illustrative of the invention rather than limiting the same.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view of a toy car with the raised dome;

Figure 2 is a side elevational toy car with parts in section along theline 2 2 of Figure 3;

Figure 3 is a transverse, sectional view on the line 3 3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an end elevational View of the dome forming element;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary inverted plan view of the end of the domeforming element;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary, enlarged sectional view on the line 2 2 ofFigure 3;

Figure 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 7 7 of Figures4 `and 5 showing the alignment of the roof insert and the seatsimulating element;

Figure 8 is a sectional view similar to Figure 6, illustrating amodified form of construction; and

Figure 9 is a perspective view of the clip of Figure 8.

The toy car generally indicated at C in the drawings has a body 10 madefrom a suitable length of inverted channel-shaped extrusion. Thisextrusion has a domed roof portion 11 provided with a rib 11' and sidewall portions 12, 21. The side wall portions have ribs 13, 13 adapted toreceive window insert strips 14 and slots 15 adapted to receive `a floorplate 16. Suitable window openings 17 are punched in the side walls. Thefloor plate 16 is secured to suitable trucks generally indicated at T,whereby the car may be guided along the toy railroad track. The trucksare arranged to collect current from the third rail and light a lamp L,such truck structure, however, forming no part of the present invention.

In manufacturing the car body for the lighted dome con-struction herein,the extrusion is cut away for a portion of its length so Ias to removethe entire roof for this length of the extrusion. As shown in thedrawings, this cutting away is at the center of the ca-r, but it couldbe anywhere along the length of the car.

The ends of the cut out portion are indicated at 20, 20 and the upperedges of the edges of cut out portions of the wall are indicated at 21,21. This cut out provides an open space in the opaque body of the carinto which is placed the dome construction.

As shown in the drawings this construction utilizes two moldings 30 `and31, preferably made of clear polystyrene. The upper or dome formingmolding 30 may be used .alone or with the lower, or floor formingmolding 31. When the two moldings are used at the same time they arecemented together along the joint indicated at 32, the parts being'accurately aligned by pins 33 entering recesses 34.

The sides of the dome part 30 are provided with flanges 35 adapted tooverlie the edges 21, 21 of the walls 12, 12 of the car body. The lengthof the plastic moldings 30, 31 is the same as the length of the openingprovided by the cut out of the car roof. The ends of the insert are Hushwith the roof of the car and the fenestration appearance is provided bysuitably coating the parts of the molding which are to be opaque, asindicated by the stippling in Figure l. A convenient construction forfacilitating the securement of the inserts in place is shown herein. Theend walls 36 of the upper molding 30 are relatively thin and exible.They are provided with vertical slots 37, 37 and horizontal openings 38.The slots 37 lare bridged by a thin walled element indi cated at 39having a beveled lower edge 40. When one wishes to place the uppermember (with or without the lower member 30 secured to it) in the carbody, it is merely necessary to press down on the top of the piece 30,whereupon the cam elements 40, 40 cause the thin walls 36, 36 to bend inso that the parts can pass by one another. Then the thin walls return toposition and bring the upper edges of the bridging elements 39 under ther-ib 11. To facilitate the entrance of light from the lamps L into theconstruction, holes 42 are provided in the deck forming piece 31.

In the modied construction shown in Figures 8 and 9, the parts 30 and 31`are made as before and a small clip 50 is arranged to slide Ialong therib 11. This clip is made of very thin metal and adapted to pass throughthe space which separates the upper edge of the bridge 39 from the lowerface of the rib 11.

Since it is obvious that the invention may be embodied in other formsand constructions within the scope of the claims, I wish it to beunderstood that the particular form shown is but one of these forms, andvarious modifications and changes being possible, I do not limit myselfin any way with respect thereto.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a toy railroad car body in the form of a length ofinverted channel shaped metal extrusion having sides and an arched roof,la portion of the arched roof portion being cut away to provide arectangular opening defined by spaced ends of the arched roof and by theupper edges of the side walls, an insert of the same length and width ofthe opening, the insert having flanged side edges which t the upperedges of the side walls, end portions of substantially the same archedcontour as the top of the roof of the car body and a more highly archedportion interconnecting the end portions, the more highly archedportions having transparent windows for transmission of light, and meansto secure the insert in place.

2. The combination of claim 1, wherein the securing means include a carbody and insert carried cooperative elements adapted to snap past oneanother when the insert is pressed downwardly in place.

3. The combination of claim l, wherein the securing means includesinsert carried yieldable ends with cam faced elements having stopshoulders and body carried elements past which the cam element andshoulders move when the insert is pressed downwardly into place.

4. The combination of claim 1, wherein the insert has apertured ends andthe roof of the car body has a longitudinal rib, and the securing meansincludes clips slidable along the ribs and moveable into the aperturedends of the insert.

5. A toy railroad car body having vertical sides and an 'arched roof, aportion of the upper part of each side of the car body and of the roofbeing cut away for the full width of the car to provide an elongatedopening, and an elongated, observation dome-simulating member insertedin the opening, the member having lower side por- 30 tions which occupythe space cut out of the car body and lit the sides of the body, themember having yieldable ends which lit the ends of the opening and havecatch elements normally more widely spaced than the length of the roofopening, the member being substantially llush with the roof, the carroof having stops past which the catch elements may be forced to bringsaid elements beyond the stops so that the catch-forming elements snapunder the stop, the sides and ends of the member above the roof portionof the car body having transparent window-like areas to simulate thefenestrated dome of a railway car.

6. A toy railroad car body having vertical sides and an arched roof, 'aportion of the upper part of each side of the car body and of the roofbeing cut away for the full width of the car to provide an elongatedopening, an elongated observation dome-simulating member inserted in theopening, the member having lower side portions which occupy the spacecut out of the car body and fit the sides of the body, the member havingends which fit the ends of the opening, the member being substantiallyflush with the roof, the sides and ends of the member above the roofportion of the car body having transparent window-like areas to simulatethe fenestrated dome of a railway car, and a floor plate carried by thedomesimulating member of a size to be received in the car roof openingand provided with seat-simulating elements.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,587,142 Gray et al Feb. 26, 1952

